I watched this cute story @ YouTube. I like it very much and I would like to share with you all.

******** Angel Khallatiya,

Once upon a time, a merchant and his crews was sailing his cargo-ship across the ocean. Suddenly they saw a beautiful celestial castle, they anchored the ship near the castle. Inside the castle they saw a pretty angel with beautiful long black hair sitting there all alone.

The angel told the merchant and his crews not to come close because she had no clothes on. The merchant wanted to offer her precious Kasi-clothes; but she denied the offer, saying that it was because of her past evil deeds, she only had to cover her body with her long black hair. However, she suggested that the merchant give the clothes to a Buddhist devotee upasaka and ask him to donate merits to her; only then she could receive the merits.

It happened that there was a crew on board who truly devoted to the Buddha, so the merchant did what the naked angel had advised. Then, like a miracle, the angel appeared to them with devine clothes, so stunningly beautiful! The angel then entrusted the merchant to pay homage to the Buddha, and to give some of her merit-devine-clothes, water, jewel and rice to the Buddha when they sailed back to Savatthi.

After the long voyage, the merchant and his crews went to pay homage to the Buddha at Jetavanaram. They told him the strange event about the naked angel and her celestial castle in the middle of the ocean. The merchant gave the angel's devine gifts to the Buddha and asked him about her past evil deeds.

Khallitiya's past life:

Once she was born in Benares. Her beauty and pretty long black hair made her famous throughout the land. People made her a beauty queen with duty of carrying big bouquet of flowers in special ceremony events. One day, her best friend who secretly envied her so much, put poison herbs on her hair that caused her baldness. She was so ashamed of her look and ran away to a new town where she sold sesame-oil for a living. She was so poor that she did anything she could to make money. For example, she sold alcohol beverages to townsmen and stole their money, jewelry and clothes (left them naked) while they were drunk. She became richer. Then one day an old bhikkhu came for alms-food near her place. She was so happy to do merits; she gave delicious foods to the bhikkhu and made a wish that she had long beautiful black hair again. After her long life, she was now reborn as this naked angel.

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (239) of this book, with reference to a Brahmin.

Once, a Brahmin saw a group of bhikkhus rearranging their robes as they were preparing to enter the city for alms-food. While he was looking, he found that the robes of some of the bhikkhus touched the ground and got wet because of dew on the grass. So he cleared that patch of ground. The next day, he found that as the robes of the bhikkhus touched bare ground, the robes got dirty. So he covered that patch of ground with sand. Then again, he observed that the bhikkhus would sweat when the sun was shining and that they got wet when it was raining. So finally, he built a rest house for the bhikkhus at the place where they gathered before entering the city for alms-food.

When the building was finished, he invited the Buddha and the bhikkhus for alms-food. The Brahmin explained to the Buddha how he had performed this meritorious deed step by step. To him the Buddha replied, "O Brahmin! The wise perform their acts of merit little by little and gradually and constantly they remove the impurities of moral defilements."Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse. Little by little, ever and anon, the wise man should remove his moral impurities as a smith blows away the dross of silver.

This story the Buddha told while dwelling in Jetavana, about Devadatta.Devadatta repudiated his teacher, saying, "I will be Buddha myself, and Gotamathe ascetic is no teacher or monitor of mine!" So, aroused from his mysticmeditation, he made a breach in the Order. Then step by step he proceeded toSâvatthi, and outside Jetavana, the earth yawned, and he went down into the hellAvîci.

Then they were all talking of it in the Hall of Truth:—"Brother, Devadattadeserted his Teacher, and came to dire destruction, being born to another lifein the deep hell Avîci!" The Master, entering, asked what they spoke of, andthey told him. Said he,—"Not now only, but in former days, as now, Devadattadeserted his teacher, and came to dire destruction." So saying, he told a storyof the past.

-------

Long ago when Brahmadatta was King of Benares, there was an outbreak of malariawhich claimed thousands of lives. All the members in the family of the King'schaplain died with the exception of one young son who ran away. The young manstayed for some years in Takkasila and learned many subjects under the guidanceof a great scholar. Not satisfied with what he learnt, he began travelling allover the country. He soon came to a small village occupied by so-called low bornpeople(Candalas). Sage Bodhisatta was living in a hut in the centre of thevillage.

The young brahmin watched Bodhisatta selling ripe mangos when it was not theseason for mango fruits. He began spying on him and soon discovered thatBodhisatta made solitary visits to the forest and standing seven feet away froma mango tree, recited some mantra and sprinkled water on the tree. As soon as

the water drops fell on its branches, all the dry leaves fell off from thebranches, fresh green leaves covered the tree and within minutes flowersappeared too, miraculously grew into ripe mango fruits sweet and luscious, likefruit divine and gently fell to the ground. After eating a few of those fruitsBodhisatta carried the rest of the fruits to the village, sold them, andsupported his wife and child from the money he got by selling the mango-fruits.

The young brahmin resolved to learn the mantra from Bodhisatta and joined hishousehold as a humble servant. As soon as he set eyes on the young brahmin,Bodhisatta knew that he came to ferret out the mantra from him. He told his wifethat the young man was a cheat and so no mantra would stay with him for long.But the young man wormed his way into the good wife's heart by helping her inall the household chores like sweeping the floors and washing the vessels andclothes. She felt particularly touched by his loyal service when she gave birthto a baby and was confined to her bed for nearly a month.

She went to Bodhisatta and pleaded with him "This young lad may be a cheat. Butfor the loyal service he is rendering us, he deserves to be rewarded. Pleaseteach him the mantra that can make ripe mangoes appear on mango trees at anytime of the year." Bodhisatta promised to do so. One night Bodhisatta asked fora foot stool to rest his tired feet. The young man placed Bodhisatta's feet onhis own lap and sat still the entire night so as not to disturb him. Bodhisattafelt pleased and taught him the mantra. But before the young man left, he gavehim the following warning: "This mantra will earn you great riches and fame. Butif anyone asks you about who taught the mantra to you, you must proudly declarethat a so-called untouchable man was your Guru. But if you give way to theinexcusable prejudice against chandalas prevalent in our society and do notacknowledge that I was your Guru, then the mantra will vanish from your mind.You cannot recall it however hard you may try". The young brahmin said that hewould never be such an ungrateful wretch as to feel ashamed of his Guru's casteand left the village.

He soon became very rich and famous. He once went to the King's park in Benaresand made ripe mangos appear on a tree. The keeper of the park presented some ofthe fruits to the King. The King sent for the young man gave him many gifts andoffered him a post in his own court. Whenever the King wished to eat mangoes,the young man used to give them to him. One day the King asked him how he wasable to do that. The young man replied that he knew a mantra that could createmangoes at any time of the year. Surprised, the King asked him who taught thatmantra to him. The King was surrounded by renowned scholars and the young manthought that they will all look down on him if he tells them that his Guru was alow born man. So he replied that a great Sanskrit scholar taught him the mantra.

The King ordered him to create some mangos and he took them all to the park. Asusual standing seven feet away from the tree he tried to recite the mantra, buthe could not remember even one syllable. The King waited for half an hour. Whenasked what was wrong, the young man tried to bluff his way out by saying thatthe planetary positions were not right for the mantra to be effective. Guessingfrom the young man's guilty expression that he was not telling the truth, theKing asked him how it was that till then he never said anything about planetarypositions and was supplying him with mango fruits whenever he wished to eatthem. Falling on his knees the young man confessed the truth and told him abouthow his Guru warned him that the mantra would vanish the minute he tried toconceal who his Guru was. The King rebuked the young man for subordinating meritto caste and banished him from his Kingdom saying he will allow him to come backonly if he seeks his Guru's forgiveness, learns from him the forgotten mantra.

Watching the young man walking towards his hut, Bodhisatta turned to his wifeand said "See, I told you, that scoundrel has no gratitude. He lost the mantraand is coming back to beg me to teach it to him again. A man who thinks that tobe born in a particular caste is a stigma deserves no kindness" . His wifeagreed with him and Bodhisatta sent away the young man saying that he had onlyhimself to blame for forgetting the mantra.

The desolate young man aimlessly wandered in the forest for some days and diedwishing that he had been loyal and truthful to his Guru.------The Buddha having made an end of this discourse, said, "Not now only, Brother,has Devadatta denied his teacher, and come to dire destruction;" and so saying,he identified the Birth: "At that time Devadatta was the ungrateful man, Ânandawas the king, and I was the low caste man."

Theragathaas are delightful verses uttered by Theras through sheer exultationand joy that arise out of their religious devotion and inspiration. Theseinspiring verses gush forth from their hearts after their attainment ofArahantship as an announcement of their achievement and also as a statement oftheir effort which has led to their final enlightenment.

The following verses were uttered by Mahaa Kaccaayana Thera. One of the mosteminent disciples of the Buddha, considered chief among expounders in full ofthe brief saying of the Buddha, (sankhittena bhaasitassa vitthaarena atthamvibhajantaanam) (A.i.23).

The Great Mahaa Kaccaayana Thera[Translated from the pali by Daw Mya tin]

He was born at Ujjenii in the family of the chaplainof King Candappajjota, and was called Kaccaana both because of his golden colourand because Kaccaana was the name of his gotta. He studied the Vedas, and, onthe death of his father, succeeded him as chaplain. With seven others he visitedthe Buddha, at the request of Candappajjota, to invite him to come to Ujjenii.Kaccaana and his friends listened to the Buddha's sermon, and having attainedarahantship, joined the order. He then conveyed the king's invitation to theBuddha, who pointed out that it would now suffice if Kaccaana himself returnedto Ujjenii.

Kaccaana accordingly set out for Ujjenii with his seven companions, acceptingalms on the way at the house of a very poor girl of Telappanaali, who laterbecame Candappajjota's queen. Arrived in Ujjenii, Kaccaana lived in the royalpark, where the king showed him all honour. He preached constantly to thepeople, and, attracted by his discourses, numerous persons joined the Order, sothat the whole city was one blaze of orange robes. It is said that after havingduly established the saasanaaa in Avantí, Kaccaana returned once more to theBuddha. Candappajjota consulted him on various occasions, and among the versesattributed to him in the Theragaathaa (Thag.vss.494-501), are several addressedto the king himself.------------His Past Life:It was in the time of Padumuttara Buddha that Kaccaana had made his resolve towin the eminence he did, after listening to Padumuttara's praise of a monk, alsonamed Kaccaana, for similar proficiency. Kaccaana was then a vijjaadhara, andoffered the Buddha three kanikaara flowers. In the time of Kassapa Buddha he wasa householder of Benares, and offered a golden brick, worth one hundredthousand, to the cetiya which was being built over the Buddha's remains, andthen made a vow that in future births his body should be golden (ThagA.i.483f.;AA.i.117f).-----------It is said (DhA.ii.176) that even when Kaccaana was living at Avanti, a longdistance away, he went regularly to hear the Buddha preach, and when the chieftheras took their places in the assembly, they always left room for him. On onesuch occasion Sakka showed him great honour, falling at his feet, and the Buddhaexplained that this was because Mahaa Kaccaana kept his senses well guarded.

According to tradition, Kaccaana was the author of the Nettippakarana, thePaa.li grammar bearing his name, and of the Petakopadesa. It is probable thatthese works were the compilations of a school, which traced its descent to MahaKaccaana.

This is an amazing story of Theri Bhadda who was ordained by the Buddha himself, and was praisedas an etadagga who attained arahantship fastest among the bhikkhunis.

-----------------------------

Bhadda Kundalakesa: Deadly Love At First Sight!!![Translated from Thai Dhammapada, Thai Version by Dr.Sirikanya Sastri]

Bhadda was born into a weathy family in Rajagaha. Her parents loved andprotected her. One day, Bhadda was looking out her window and saw a thief beingled to the place of execution. She fell in love with the thief at first sight.She begged her parents to help save the thief from his punishment. Although theydid not agree with her request, they loved her so much and feared that she mighthurt herself if they did not save her love. The parents bribed the guards to letthe thief escape and brought the thief home at night.

Shortly after this meeting, a wedding united Bhadda with the thief. Later on,The thief convinced his wife that he needed to give an offering to the mountaindeva for sparing his life. She agreed to the plan and accompanied her husband tothe mountain. She had no idea of the true intention of the thief, but when herevealed his plan of killing her for her money and jewelry, she was very angry.So, she deceived the thief into believing she was naive and madly in love withhim. She hugged him tightly and when he did not suspect it, she pushed him offthe side of the mountain to his death.

She was immediately ashamed of her actions and could not face her parents, soshe wandered from town to town. She felt helpless and lost until she met aJain ascetic who asked her to join his order. In order to complete the ordainment, she had to pluck out all of her hair. Oddly enough, her hair grew back curly. So,the people called her Kundalakesa(curly hair).

Within a short period, she grew tired of the order's philosophy. She longed formore, so she traveled throughout India searching for profound and inspiringteachings. In the process of searching, she became very skilled at debating andchallenging all the spiritual leaders she came across. Each place she traveled,she would build a sandpile marked with a rose-apple branch to display her desireto debate anyone who was willing to challenge her knowledge of religions andspiritual philosophy. She knew her challengers when they trampled on hersandpile. For a long period of time, she earned great status since she won alldebates despite who challenged her.

One day, Bhadda arrived in Savatti and created a sandpile to spark a debate.Sariputta Thera, a famous Buddha disciple, heard of her arrival and herintention while he was staying at Jetavan-Vanaram. He told children to trampleon her sandpile to initiate a debate with her. This debate brought greatattention from all over and many crowds of people traveled for the debate.Bhadda spent several hours throwing questions at Sariputta, but he never tiredand he always gave perfect answers. She was shocked and ran out of questions. Sofor the first time ever, Bhadda had to answer questions from her challenger. Hisquestions were too profound for her and she failed to answer them. This was thefirst debate she lost. Instead of feeling sad, she was inspired and for thefirst time in fifty years, she knew she had found the teacher she had beensearching for all these years. She asked to be his novice, Sariputta theradeclined and told her she should see the Buddha.

She immediately went to see the Buddha and listened to his dhamma preaching. Atonce, she attained arahantship which was very shocking to the Buddha's disciplesthat she reached this status so quickly. She was ordained by the Buddha himself and was known as Kundalakesa Theri.

Note: Just as the wanderer Bahiya was the bhikkhu who attained arahantship fasterthan anyone else, Bhadda was the fastest among the bhikkhunis.

------------------------------Sattuka, The thief Who Married Bhadda

Sattuka was a son of a king's religious advisor. He was born with badsign(astrology sign)that he would bring trouble to people. His father asked theking to kill his babyboy, but the king denied and even named the boy'Sattuka'.

This boy grew up to be a very handsome man but 'bad to the bone', who had longhistory of theft. Finally the king ordered his guards to capture him and madehim walked around town for people to see before taking him to the place of execution.

The Questions Of King Milinda/The Answers Of Thera Nagasena[Translated ted by T.W.Rhys Davids]

#1. “What is the root, “Are the five sensebases produced from various kammas, orall from one?”

“From various kammas, Oking.”

“Give me an illustration.”

“If you were to sow five kinds of seeds in afield the produce would be of five kinds.”

-----------

#2. “Why is it, Nàgasena, that all men are not alike; someare short-lived and some long-lived, some sickly and somehealthy, some ugly and some handsome, some powerfuland some powerless, some poor and some rich, some lowbornand some noble, some foolish and some wise?”

“Why is it that all plants are not alike?”

“Because they come from different seeds.”

“Just so, O king, it is because of the variety of kammasthat beings are not all the same. For this was said by theBlessed One, ‘All beings have kamma as their own property,are heirs to it, born from it, are relatives of their kamma andhave kamma as their refuge; whatever kamma they dodivides them into high and low states’.”

I learned about Doctor Jivaka, the Buddha's doctor , when I was young. His achievement truly impressed me so much that I wanted my only daughter to also become a doctor. I would like to dedicate this story to my dear daughter Dr. Sirikanya Sastri, MD .....a surgeon working for the US Air Force.

At the time of the Buddha, among the lay physicians, the most renowned was Jivaka Kumarabhacca, who is described as providing free medical care to the Buddha and other monks and donating his mango grove at Rajagaha for use as a monastic community, named Jivakarama. Jivaka's fame as a healer was widely known and tales about his life and medical feats can be found in almost all versions of Buddhist scriptures.

Versions about Jivaka’s birth and infancy:

The Pali version began with Salavati, a courtesan of Rajagaha, giving birth to a son whom was then given to a slave woman, who placed him in a winnowing basket, which was left at a rubbish heap on the roadside.

In the Sanskrit-Tibetan account, a promiscuous wife of a merchant from Rajagaha gave birth to a son of King Bimbisara, placed the infant in a chest, and ordered maidservants to set the chest at the gate of the king’s palace.

In the Chinese narrative, a divine virgin named Arampali, who was raised by a Brahman, gave birth to a son of King Bimbisara. The boy was born with a bag of acupuncture needles in his hand and therefore was predestined to become a doctor and a royal physician. His mother wrapped him in white clothes and ordered a slave to take him to the king.

In all versions, the infant is taken and raised by the king’s son 'Prince Abhaya'.

In the Pali account, the boy is given the name Jivaka because he was alive (from root jiv, to live), and because a prince cared for him he is called Kumarabhacca (nourished by a prince).

Jivaka's Medical training

Concerning his interest in medicine and his medical education, in the Pali account, Jivaka, as he approached the age at which he must seek his own livelihood, decided to learn the medical craft. Hearing about a world-famous physician in Taxila, he travelled to that city, famous for education, to apprentice with the eminent doctor. After seven years of medical study, he took a practical examination that tested his knowledge of medical herbs, passed with extraordinary success, and, with the blessings of mentor, went off to practice medicine.

In the Sanskrit-Tibetan version, Jivaka desired to learn a craft. Seeing white-clad physicians, he decided to become a doctor and studied the art of healing. After acquiring the basics of medicine, he wished to increase his understanding by learning the art of opening skulls from Atreya , the king of physicians, who lived in the city of Taxila. So Jivaka went there, took the practical examination on medical herbs and performed other healings, and so deepened his knowledge of medicine that he could even advise his master on therapeutic procedures, thereby earning the latter’s respect. Pleased with Jivaka depth of understanding, Atreya communicated to him the special technique of opening the skull. Jivaka eventually left the company of Atreya and journeyed to the city Bhadrankata in Vidarbha, where he studied the textbook called “The Sounds of All Beings” (most probably a textbook related with the practice of dharanis and mantras). During his travels, he purchased a load of wood from a thin and feeble man and discovered in the woodpile a gem called “the soothing remedy of all beings"(The Bodhisattvas of Healing). This gem, when placed before a patient, illuminated his inside as a lamp light up a house, revealing the nature of illness.

In the Chinese version Jivaka relinquished all claims to the throne and studied medicine. He found that the education he acquired from local physicians was inadequate and showed their deficiencies in the knowledge presented in the textbooks on plants, medical recipes, acupuncture, and pulse lore, which he had successfully mastered. He therefore instructed them in the essential principles of medicine and gained their respect. Hearing of a famous physician, Atreya, who lived in Taxila, he traveled to the city to learn medicine from him. After studying medicine for seven years, he took the practical examination on medical herbs and passed it with great success. When Jivaka departed, his master told him that, although he himself was first among the Indian physicians, after his death, Jivaka would become his successor. On his travels, Jivaka encountered a young boy carrying firewood and found he was able to see the inside of the boy’s body. Immediately realizing that the bundle of wood must contain a piece of the tree of the King of Healing, who, according to early Mahayana scriptures, is a Bodhisattva of healing, he bought the wood, discovered a twig of the auspicious tree, and used it to diagnose illnesses in the course of his famous medical practice.

Jivaka is regarded as the Father of Medicine, a source of knowledge about the healing powers of plant, mineral, massage and so forth. His teachings travel to Thailand at the same time as Buddhism. Definitively a central figure in the Buddhist medical system, he is legitimately regarded as the aspiration for all practitioners of Ancient Massage.

Jivaka became a disciple of the Buddha and would treat him and any monks or nuns when they became sick. He had a beautiful mango garden just outside the east gate of Rajagaha which he donated to the Buddha and which later developed into a large monastery. The remains of this monastery were discovered in 1954 and excavated by archaeologists. The Buddha delivered two discourses to Jivaka. In the first he gave the conditions under which monks and nuns can eat meat and in the second he defined a lay disciple as one who has taken the Three Refuges and who observes the five Precepts. After the discourses, Jivaka attained sotapatti fruition. Because of the dedicated attentive care with which he ministered to his patients, the Buddha praised Jivaka as an etadagga amongst his disciples who were "loved by the people".-------Burmese version posted by myanmarpedia on September 27, 2007

Jivaka led a privileged life in the palace. His friends, however, often teased him as he had no mother. Jivaka, who was embarrassed by the teasing, questioned his father about his origin. When he heard about his origins and his will to live he decided that he would one day grow up to be a preserver of life. He felt that he had no real heritage or family as he was only the adopted son of the prince. Physicians, however, were treated with great respect. Determined to earn the respect he felt he lacked due to his birth, Jivaka decided to go to the University of Taxila to become a physician.

Jivaka approached Disapamok, a well-known scholar, for his training. At this time Sakka, the King of the Heavens, was observing the world. He realized that it was time for Jivaka, who had in past births aspired to be the physician of the Buddha, to begin his training. Sakka, however, wanted to ensure that Jivaka had more than just the best training available in India. This was the young man who would have the privilege to be the physician of the Buddha. Sakka decided to take a hand in the training of young Jivaka so that he would have celestial knowledge in the art of medicine. With this in view, He entered the body of Disapamok. Jivaka excelled in his studies. Disapamok, however, soon realized that the training that he was providing was being influenced by celestial beings. The knowledge that was being imparted through him far excelled his knowledge of medicine. Jivaka quickly learned medicines and cures of which Disapamok himself had no knowledge. Jivaka completed in seven years the physicians training which usually took eleven years.

Realizing that Jivaka’s education was complete, Disapamok asked him to go forth and bring back a plant, herb or root that could not be used for medicinal purposes for the preservation of life. After travelling far and wide Jivaka returned to his teacher to inform him that no such plant, herb, or root existed. All of nature’s treasures were beneficial for the preservation of life. The joyous teacher then praised his pupil by informing him that his education was complete. Jivaka had surpassed his teacher in knowledge.

Jivaka decided to go back to Rajagaha to his adoptive father. On the way he stopped to rest in a city named Saletha. He soon heard that the young daughter of the city’s wealthiest nobleman was sick. Despite the ministering of many well-known physicians, she had suffered from severe headaches for seven years. Jivaka approached the nobleman, as he was confident that he could cure the maiden. The maiden, however, was not impressed by the very young man who claimed he could cure her when older, well-known physicians had failed. Offering his services for free, Jivaka continued to declare boldly that he could cure her.

Gathering herbs and roots, Jivaka prepared the medicine which he then administered to her through her nostrils. Before long the maiden’s headaches disappeared. The grateful nobleman showered Jivaka with gifts and gold and provided him with a golden chariot. Jivaka approached Prince Abhaya’s palace in great style.

Handing over his newly earned wealth to his adoptive father, Jivaka thanked him for his love, compassion, and caring. Prince Abhaya, however, returned all the wealth to Jivaka and informed him that he owed him naught as he was his true son and heir. He then told him that during his absence he had found out the full story of his origin. His mother, Salawathi, was the sought-after courtesan of the kings and nobility. Wanting to retain her freedom, she had discarded the baby whom she felt would be a burden to her. Prince Abhaya had unknowingly adopted his own child as he had loved his son dearly even prior to knowing that he was in fact his own child. Prince Abhaya built a palace to serve as Jivaka’s residence and provided him with many servants.

Jivaka’s second patient was none other than his own grandfather, King Bimbisara. The king had a huge growth in his stomach that bled from time to time on his royal robe. So prominent was the growth that his consorts had started to tease the king by saying that he was with child. The king had been treated by all the great physicians of the country to no avail. Prince Abhaya informed Jivaka of his grandfather’s plight.

Diagnosing the disease sight unseen, Jivaka immediately prepared the suitable medicine. Then hiding it on his person, he visited the king. After examining the king he administered the medicine that he had brought with him. Before long the king’s growth shrank and his wound healed. The grateful king called his entourage of five hundred consorts who had teased him unmercifully by asking if his first-born was to be a boy or a girl, and commanded them to give all their jewellery as a gift to Jivaka. Before long a mound of precious jewellery higher than Jivaka himself was placed at his feet. However, Jivaka refused this payment and requested permission from the king to return the ornaments back to his consorts. Even more impressed by Jivaka’s deportment, the king showered him with wealth, gifted him with the royal mango grove and made him the royal physician.

Jivaka’s reputation as a great physician grew quickly. He was the physician of kings, noblemen and the Buddha. The text mentions that he operated and successfully removed two tumours from the brain of a rich merchant who was a good friend of King Bimbisara. He also operated successfully to remove a blockage in the intestines of a nobleman. In one instance when the Buddha was afflicted with stomach problems, Jivaka prepared the medicine, and applying it on a blue lotus flower, offered it to the Buddha. Jivaka then asked the Buddha to inhale the essence emanating from the flower. The medicine which Jivaka had prepared with devotion and presented so beautifully, cured the Buddha’s stomach ailment.

Jivaka had in one instance risked his life to attend a very cruel and vicious king named Chanda Pradyotha. One of the King Pradyotha’s subjects had offered him a shawl that had been dropped by a Deva in the forest. Admiring the very beautiful shawl, the king had reflected that he should gift it to Jivaka who had risked his life to save him. Jivaka, however, felt that there was only one person worthy of such a shawl. He in turn offered it to the Buddha. The Buddha accepted the celestial shawl and, as requested by Jivaka, dispensed a sermon on the giving of robes. After listening to the discourse, Jivaka attained the first stage of enlightenment, Sotapanna. The Buddha felt that keeping such a valuable shawl in the monastery would attract thieves, which would endanger His monks. Addressing ananda, he requested that the shawl be cut into strips and resewn so that it would be of little value to thieves. This custom of wearing patched garments still remains among the Sangha. Even their new robes are made of strips of material that are sewn together so that even the robe they wear would help them in the practice of non-attachment.

Jivaka built a monastery in his mango grove so that he could be close to the Buddha when attending to His needs. It was Jivaka who attended to the Buddha’s foot when it was cut by the sliver of rock that Devadatta rolled down the hill at Gijjhakuta. It was also Jivaka who treated the Buddha in His last days, when He was overcome by stomach pains.

“The Buddha said, Nàgasena, that there are eight causes ofa great earthquake.68 Yet we find that there is a ninth causealso mentioned in the texts. When the Bodhisatta Vessantarafulfilled the perfection of generosity by givingaway his wife and children as servants then, too, did thegreat earth shake. If the former statement of the Buddha istrue then the latter is false.”

“Both statements, O king, are correct. The gift of Vessantarawas not mentioned as a ninth cause of a great earthquakebecause it is an extremely rare occurrence. Just as thedried up creek that does not usually hold water is not calleda river, but in times of exceptional rainfall it becomes ariver, so too the largesse of Vessantara was an isolated andextraordinary occurrence, and for that reason one distinctfrom the eight usual causes of a great earthquake.“Have you ever heard, O king, in the history of ourreligion of any act of devotion that gave its result in thisvery life?”

“Yes, venerable Nàgasena, there are seven such cases:Sumana the garland maker,69 Ekasàñaka the brahman,70

Puõõa the farm worker,71 Mallikà the queen,72 the queenknown as the mother of Gopàla,73 Suppiyà the devotedwoman74 and Puõõà the slave-girl.”75

“But have you ever heard, O king, of the earth shakingeven once or twice when a gift had been given?”

“No, venerable sir, I have never heard of that.”

“I too, O king, have never heard of such a thing,though I have been devoted to study and ready to learn,except for this case of the splendid gift of Vessantara. It isby no common effort, O king, that the great earth is moved.It is when overburdened by the weight of righteousness,overpowered by the burden of the goodness of acts thattestify to absolute purity; that, unable to support it, thebroad earth quakes and trembles. When Vessantara gavehis gift, O king, he was giving things away not for the sakeof a glorious rebirth, nor for future wealth, nor to receivegifts in return, nor for flattery, nor for any other personalgain, but only for the sake of supreme wisdom.”

******************** Vessantara And Maddi [Translated from the Pali by Dr.C.B.Varma,D. Litt]

The lineage of the Sivis is best known for its charity and sacrifices in the Indian traditions since time immemorial. Once, the Bodhisatta was born as Vessantara (Sanskrit: Vishvantara) in the dynasty of the Sivi in the kingdom of Jetuttara. King Sanjaya was his father; and Queen Phusati was his mother. He appeared to be a child prodigy because he spoke on the very day when he was born. Interestingly, on the same day a white elephant was also born. This elephant, who was given the name Pacchaya, was gifted with the supernatural power to make the rain fall.

Vessantara’s passion for charity was so intense that the earth trembled when he pledged to make a great gift at the young age of eight. At sixteen he married Maddi (Sanskrit: Madri). He had two children: Jali and Kanhajina.

At that time there was a great draught in Kalinga. So, eight Brahmins from Kalinga came to Vessantara to beg for his white elephant to make the rain fall in their country. Vessantara acceded to their request and donated the elephant. When the people of Jetuttara heard of this news they were terribly disturbed. Agitatingly, they went to the king and asked him to punish the prince by banishing him to the forest of Vankagiri. The will of the people eventually prevailed and Vessantara had to go on exile much to the unwillingness of the king. Before setting out he obtained the king’s consent to hold an alms-giving ceremony called the “Gifts of Seven Hundreds (Sattasataka). On the occasion he gave away seven hundred pieces of seven hundred kinds of things to the needy people.

When Vessantara took leave of his parents and was preparing to depart, his wife Maddi insisted to accompany him with her children Jali and Kanhajina.

They left the palace in a royal chariot drawn by four horses. On the way four brahmins met him and begged for his four horses. After giving the four horses to the brahmins when he began to fasten the girth tightly round his waist to put himself under the yoke and to drag the carriage there appeared four yakkhas in the form of red deer. They put their shoulders under the yoke like well-trained excellent horses and drew his carriage. When Maddi was staring at them with joy and surprise the Bodhisatta said,

"Lo! the influence

of the benevolent forest

Of the hermitage

That the best of the deer

Extend hospitability

To the forest-guests

So ardently."

The queen, however, remarked,

"You may conceal your merits, and say so

I call this to be your influence.

Like the laughing lotuses,

which surpass the beauty of the stars mirrored in the water,

Exposing so fully

To the curious gaze of the radiant Moon

With its groping rays

For the delightful titillation."

When they were thus involved in the pleasant conversation they encountered one more brahmin beggar, who begged for the carriage. So, Vessantara had to part with his carriage, too. He then lifted his son Jali in his arms, and Maddi lifted Kanhanjana; and thus they continued their jouney on foot. The sun was scorching. So, The cloud overspread overhead to act as a canopy. The trees extended their branches to offer them delicious fruits as an offering to their virtue of charity. When they longed for water the lotus ponds appeared before them to quench their thirst. Further, the yakkhas shortened their path to protect them from exertion. Thus, treading through Suvannagiritala, Kantimara, Mount Aranjagiri, Dunnivittha, the capital of Cheta (where his uncle ruled), Gandhamadana, the foot of Mount Vipula to the river Ketumati (where a forester offered them food) and then by crossing the river Nalika along the bank of lake Muchalinda and further crossing a dense forest they finally reached Vankagiri.

Vissakamma, the Engineer of Sakka had already built two hermitages for them in the forest. One was for Vessantara and the other was for the rest of the family. The power of Vessantara was so strong that no wild animal came near their hermitages. Happily, they spent four months.

One day, one old Brahmin named Jujaka came to the hermitage when Maddi had gone to the forest to bring some fruits for the family. Accosting Vessantara he begged for his two children because Amittatapana, his wife had demanded for two slaves for herself. As Vessantara was widely known for his dana-paramita (perfection of charitability) the greedy Brahmin was intent on exploiting the situation. Vessantara tried to convince the Brahmin to change his mind in several ways. Yet, he insisted on accepting nothing but the two children. Knowing Jujaka’s mind the children were extremely terrified and ran away to a nearby pond and hid themselves. They, however, re-appeared when their father called them. And by then Vessantara had finally agreed to the shrew demand of Jujaka. The brahmin, then chanting some phrases of benediction to the donour ordered the children to accompany him. The children, who did not want to leave glued to the feet of their father to ask Jujaka to wait at least until the arrival of their mother. But shrewd and mean Jujaka without wasting time fastened the hands of the two delicate children with a creeper and forcibly dragged them to his destination. The bleeding and bewailing children, however, screamed,

"Oh! the mother will certainly cry like the chataka (bird) upon return

Whose little ones are killed.

How would she act

When she comes back with many roots and fruits

Gathered from the forest

But finds the hermitage empty.

Oh father! I have many toys –

Horses, elephants and chariots –

Give half to mother to assuage her grief."

When Maddi returned late in the evening and did not find her children around, she asked Vessantara of their whereabouts. But Vessantara kept silence. She then repeated the same question several times, yet Vessantara did not utter a single word. So, she again went inside the forest and looked for the children for whole night. Next morning, when she returned she fainted. Vessentara then helped her regain consciousness. That was the time he apprised her of the whereabouts of the children and narrated the story. By then Maddi had mustered up the courage to endure the trauma. Surprisingly, she praised Vessantara’s great act of dana-sila (Conduct of charity).

Their sacrifice trembled the earth. And so did mount Sineru with all its resplendent gems. Surprised, Sakka, the lord of the devas inquired into the cause. When he learnt the cause of the quakes owing to the sacrifice of Vessantara he visited the hermitage next morning to test the firmity of his vow in the guise of a mendicant and begged him for his wife. Even then Vessantara did not lose the firmness of his mind and nodded to donate Maddi as well. Besides, no anger sprang even in the heart of Maddi. She did not wail. She rather looked stupefied and stood like a statue with her eyes fixed on her husband with a fresh load of suffering.

Admiringly, Sakka then said,

"Though a house-holder

Yet giving up the most beloved children and wife in charity

With such detachment;

Can there be a greater exemplification of magnanimity?"

Now, it was the time for Sakka to reveal his identity. He gave Maddi back to Vessantara. Furthermore, he offered eight boons to the great donor, which included the reunion of his family; his recall to the father’s kingdom; and his ability to benefaction.

In the meanwhile, Jujaka had traveled sixty leagues and having lost his way he reached Jetuttara, though he intended to reach Kalinga. His rugged appearance and harsh behaviour with the two delicate children attracted the royal guards, who brought him before the king. King Sanjaya, when saw his grand-children and learnt their story he bought them back from the cruel brahmin in lieu of handsome gifts and seven-storeyed palace. But Jujaka could hardly enjoy those riches as he died of over-eating in a few days. The king along with Phusati, Jali and his army then marched to Vankagiri to bring back his son and the daughter-in-law.

The white elephant Pacchaya also joined the procession as he had just returned from Kalinga as no one could subdue him there.

Finally, after a month of merry-making in the forest they all returned to the kingdom, happily.

(Devadatta is identified with Jujaka and his wife Amittapana as Chincha; Sanjaya as Suddhodhana and Phusati as Mahamaya; Rahula with Jali, Uppalavanna as Kanhajina, Rahulamata as Maddi; and Vessantara as the Bodhisatta).

This beautiful Wednesday, I proudly present the most impressive, almost eternal love story of princess Yasodhara and prince Siddhattha. This long and deep-rooted episode began in the time of the Buddha Dipankara. I love this story very, very much.

******************** Yasodhara: The Most Beautiful Bride [From Relatives and Disciples of the Buddha by Radhika Abeysekera (excerpts)]

Yasodhara was the daughter of King Suppabuddha and Queen Pamita. As KingSuppabuddha was one of King Suddhodana's younger brothers, she was one of PrinceSiddhattha's cousins. Yasodhara was born on the same day as Prince Siddhattha.She was exquisitely beautiful, with golden skin and blue-back hair that cascadeddown to her feet.

Prince Siddhattha was sixteen when his parents decided that it was a suitabletime for him to marry. As was the custom at that time, a great celebration washeld and princesses from all over the country were brought in procession for thePrince to choose from. None of them attracted his attention. The Prince treatedthem with gifts but refused them all. The procession was almost finished whenYasodhara came rushing in, to inquire if there were any gifts left for her. ThePrince then arose from His throne, and taking the pearl necklace that adornedhis person, gently placed it around her neck. Prince Siddhattha chose Hiscousin, Yasodhara, to be His bride.

At first King Suppabuddha was against the marriage. He knew that the wise menhad foretold that Siddhattha would leave the palace and His crown to become aBuddha. He also felt that the gentle, compassionate Prince might not be skilledin warfare, and as such, not be suitable for his daughter. The princess,however, wanted to marry no one else but Siddhattha.

King Suppabuddha, wishing to test Prince Siddhattha, arranged a tournament forHim to display His skills in archery, riding and swordsmanship. Sportsmen fromall over the country gathered to challenge the Prince. Siddhattha, however, wasan excellent sportsman. He excelled in all the events and ousted the best men inthe country. King Suppabuddha therefore relented and gave his daughter inmarriage to Prince Siddhattha.

The relationship between princess Yasodhara and prince Siddhattha was long anddeep-rooted. It had started long, long time ago at the time of the DipankaraBuddha. At that time, the Prince (Bodhisatta) was born as an ascetic by the nameof Sumedha. After an exceedingly long period of practising the ten virtues, theBodhisatta Sumedha had finally completed the eight requirements to receive thedefinite proclamation of Buddhahood from the Dipankara Buddha. Yasodhara, atthat time, was born as a noble lady by the name of Sumitra. She saw Sumedha give eight handfuls of white jasmine flowers to the Buddha Dipankara , and the Buddha Dipankara proclaimed that Sumedha would be a Buddha by the name of Gotama, of theSakyan caste, in the distant future. Cutting off her hair, she aspired to be Hisconsort and helpmate and to support Him actively in His quest for Buddhahood.This strong aspiration and the meritorious deeds that she performed over a longperiod of time resulted in her being the Bodhisatta's consort and supporter throughout many births. During this very long period in which the Bodhisatta completed the virtues she actively supported His quest for perfection.

In fact, her dying words reflected this devotion. She referred to the fact thatshe had been the wife of no other but Him during the entire period and hadhelped Him to achieve in 100,000 world cycles and four infinite periods whatother Buddhas take eight and sixteen infinite periods to achieve.

When the Buddha visited the palace in Kapilavatthu for the first time, all butPrincess Yasodhara came to pay homage to Him. She held back, thinking,"Certainly if there is any virtue in me, the Noble Lord Himself will come to mypresence." After the meal the Buddha, accompanied by His two male chiefdisciples, entered her chamber and sat down on the seat prepared for Him. Hethen said, "Let the king's daughter reverence me as she likes." On seeing theBuddha, Yasodhara came forward quickly, and clasping His ankles, placed her headon His feet and paid reverence to Him as she wished.

Yasodhara's devotion to the Buddha was heralded by her father-in-law, KingSuddhodana. He informed the Buddha of her devotion by saying, "When my daughterheard that you had taken to wearing simple yellow robes, she too gave up herjewels and wore yellow robes. When she heard that you had only one meal a day,she too had only one meal a day. When she heard that you slept on low, hardbeds, she too gave up the luxurious palace couches and beds. And when she heardthat you had given up garlands and perfume, she too gave up garlands andperfume. When her relatives sent messages of young men who wanted to support hershe did not even look at a single one."

The Buddha acknowledged this devotion by saying that it was not only in thisbirth that she had been devoted to him. And the Blessed One spoke kindly to Yasodhara, telling of her great merits inherited from former lives. She had indeed been again and again of great assistance to him. Her purity, her gentleness, her devotion had been invaluable to the Bodhisattva when he aspired to attain enlightenment, the highest aim of mankind. And so holy had she been that she desired to become the wife of a Buddha. This, then, was her karma, and it was the result of great merits. Her grief had been unspeakable, but the consciousness of the glory that surrounded her spiritual inheritance increased by her noble attitude during her life, would be a balm that will miraculously transform all sorrows into heavenly joy.

Yasodhara gave up the household life and entered the order of bhikkhunis at thesame time as Maha Pajapati Gotami .She attained Arahanthship and was declaredthe chief disciple among the theris who attained supernormal powers(mahaa-abhi~n~naa) to recall infinite eras of the past (mahaabhi~n~naappattaana.m). She was one of the fourdisciples of the Buddha who possessed such attainment, the others being Sáriputta, Moggallána and Bakkula. She expressed her desire for this achievement in the time of Padumuttara Buddha.----------------------- NOTE: In general, the Buddha's disciples could only recall up to 100,000 worldcycles. Yasodara, the Buddha's two chief male disciples and the Elder Bakkula,however, had supernormal powers and could recall incalculable eras. TheYasodhara Theri passed away at the age of 78, prior to the Lord Buddha.-------------She joined the Order under Pajápatí Gotamí in the company of Janapadakalyání (Nandá), and in the Order she was known as Bhaddakaccáná Therí. Later, she developed insight and became an arahant. She could, with one effort, recall one asankheyya and one hundred thousand kappas (AA.i.205).-----------The Apadána account mentions how, just before her death, at the age of seventy eight(two years before Buddha's Parinibbāna), she took leave of the Buddha and performed various miracles. It also states that eighteen thousand arahants bhikkhunis, companions of Yasodhará, also died on the same day.------Yasodhara was once, after becoming a bhikkhuni, ill from flatulence. When Ráhula, as was his custom, came to visit her, he was told that he could not see her, but that, when she had suffered from the same trouble at home, she had been cured by mango juice with sugar. Ráhula reported the matter to his preceptor, Sáriputta, who obtained the mango juice from Pasenadi. When Pasenadi discovered why the mango juice had been needed, he arranged that from that day it should be regularly supplied. The Játaka relates how, in a past birth too, Sáriputta had come to Ráhulamátá's rescue.

*The Supatta Játaka, where Sáriputta, at Ráhula's request, obtained for her from Pasenadi rice with ghee, flavoured with red fish. This was for abdominal pain.----------[edit] Legends [From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

In many legends of the Buddha's life, Yashodharā met Siddhārtha Gautama for the first time in a previous life,in the time of Dípankara Buddha, when the Bodhisatta was born as Sumedha, she was a brahmin maiden, Sumittá by name.

One day, while waiting in the city of Paduma for the Buddha Dipankara, Sumedha tried to buy flowers as an offering to the Enlightened One, but soon learned that the king already bought all the flowers for his own offering. Yet, as Dipankara was approaching, Sumedha spotted a girl named Sumitta holding eight lotuses in her hands. He spoke to her with the intention of buying one of her flowers, but she gave him all of the lotuses, which he, in turn, offered to the Buddha. Dípankara, in declaring that Sumedha would ultimately become the future Buddha Gautama, added that Sumittá would be his companion in several lives.-----Names:The meaning of the name Yasodhara (Sanskrit) [from yasas "glory, splendor" + dhara "bearing" from the verbal root dhri "to bear, support"] is Bearer of glory. The names she has been called besides Yashodhara are: Yashodhara Theri (doyenne Yashodhara), Bimbadevi, Bhaddakaccana and Rahulamata (mother of Rahula). In the Pali Canon, the name Yasodharā is not found; there are two references to Bhaddakaccānā.

******The Questions Of King Milinda[Translated ted by T.W.Rhys Davids]

#9. Perfection of the Buddha

“If the Tathàgata had accomplished everything under thebodhi tree why did he spend a further three months insolitude?86 If a man has eaten and is satisfied, what is theuse of further food; if a man is healthy, what is the use ofhim taking medicine?”

“O king, solitary meditation has many benefits. Allthe Tathàgatas attained to Buddhahood thereby and practisedit in appreciation of its benefits to mankind. There aretwenty-eight benefits of solitude: it guards him, increaseshis life expectancy, gives him vigour, conceals his failings,removes any bad reputation and brings fame, destroys discontentand brings satisfaction, banishes fear and endowshim with confidence, removes sloth and fills him with zeal,takes away desire, hatred and delusion, subdues pride, disruptsdiscursive thought and makes the mind one-pointed,softens his mind and makes him light-hearted, makes himserious, brings him material gain, makes him worthy ofreverence, brings him joy, fills him with delight, shows himthe true nature of all formations, puts an end to rebirth, andgains for him all the fruits of a life of renunciation. It is be-cause the Tathàgata has in mind these manifold benefitsthat he follows the practice of seclusion.“There are altogether four reasons why the Tathàgatasdevote themselves to solitude. For the sake of dwellingat ease, because of its blameless qualities, because it isthe way to all noble things without exception, and becauseit has been praised and exalted by all the Buddhas. It is notbecause they have anything left to achieve or anything toadd to what they have already accomplished but onlybecause of these excellent advantages that they practiceseclusion.”----Note86. Between the enlightenment (Vesàkha) and the first sermon (Asàëha) there are only twomonths, but there was an occasion when the Buddha spent three months in solitude.cf. Commentary to Dhp. v 6.

After the age of Narada Buddha about one eon and one hundred thousand millions years, there was a Buddha named Padumuttara. There was no other religious in his age, so all humans and all gods respected in Padummuttara Buddha.

Padumuttara Buddha is the thirteenth in the List of the 28 Buddhas.

Padumuttara was born in Hamsavatī, of the khattiya Ananda and his wife Sujātā. At the moments of his birth and his Enlightenment, a shower of lotuses fell in the ten thousand worlds, hence his name. He lived as a householder for ten thousand years in three palaces: Naravāhana, Yassa (or Yasavatī) and Vasavatti. His wife was Vasudattā, by whom he had a son, Uttara (according to SNA.i.341, his son was Uparevata).

He left home in his palace (Vasavatti), and practised austerities only for seven days. A maiden of Ujjeni, called Rucinandā, gave him milk rice, and the ājīvaka Sumitta gave him grass for his seat. His bodhi tree was a salala, under which he spent a week, and when he touched the ground with his foot, huge lotus flowers sprang out of the earth, covering his body completely with their pollen. (The Samyuttabhānakas give this as the reason for his name.) His first sermon was preached to his cousins Devala and Sujāta, who later became his chief disciples. The spot where the sermon was preached was Mithiluyyāna. Sumana was Padumuttara's personal attendant, Amitā and Asamā his chief women disciples, Vitinna and Tissa his chief patrons among men, and Hatthā and Vicittā among women. His body was fifty eight cubits high, and his aura spread for twelve yojanas. He died in Nandārāma at the age of one hundred thousand, and a thūpa twelve leagues in height was erected over his relics.

Our most recent Buddha, Gautama Buddha, was a hermit named Maharattiya. He offered robes to Padumuttara Buddha and monks and was fortold that he would be Gautama Buddha in the future.

Many of the eminent disciples of Gotama Buddha are said to have first conceived their desire for their respective positions in the time of Padumuttara Buddha, after seeing similar rank conferred on Padumuttara's various disciples in acknowledgment of their special attainments:

The only son of Gotama Buddha. Rahula was born on the day on which his father leftthe household life. When the Buddha visited Kapilavatthu for the first timeafter his Enlightenment and accepted Suddhodana's invitation, Rahula's mother(Yasodhara) sent the boy to the Buddha to ask for his inheritance (dayajja). The Buddha gave him no answer, and, at the conclusion of the meal,left the palace. Rahula followed him, reiterating his request until at last the Buddha asked Sariputta to ordain him. When Suddhodana heard of this he protested to the Buddha, and asked as a boon that, in future, no child should be ordained without the consent of his parents, and to this the Buddha agreed.

It is said that immediately after Rahula's ordination the Buddha preached tohim constantly (abhinhovaadavasena) many suttas for his guidance. Rahulahimself was eager to receive instruction from the Buddha and his teachers andwould rise early in the morning and take a handful of sand, saying: "May I havetoday as many words of counsel from my teachers as there are here grains ofsand!"

When Rahula was seven years old, the Buddha preached to him theAmbalatthika Rahulovada Sutta as a warning that he should never lie, even infun. Rahula noticed that he harboured carnal thoughts fascinated by his ownphysical beauty and that of his father, the Buddha preached to him, at the ageof eighteen, the Maha Rahulovada Sutta. Two other suttas, also calledRahulovada, one included in the Samyutta and the other in the Anguttara,formed the topics for Rahula's meditation (Vipassana). Later, the Buddha,knowing that Rahula's mind was ripe for final attainment, went with him alone to Andhavana, and preached to him the Cula Rahulovada Sutta. At the end of the discourse, Rahula became an arahant,together with one hundred thousand crores of listening devas.

Afterwards, in the assembly of monks, the Buddha declared Rahula foremost amongthose of his disciples who were anxious for training (sikkhaakaamaanam).

According to the Digha and Samyutta Commentaries, Rahula predeceased theBuddha and even Sariputta, and the place of his death is given as Tavatimsa. For twelve years he never lay on a bed. (DA.iii.736).

“Just as those who have never seen the ocean canknow how great it is because the five great rivers flow intoit but thereby it does not rise; so do I know that the Buddhais incomparable when I think of those great teachers, whomI have seen, who are only his disciples.”

#3. “You said that your going forth was so that thissuffering might be extinguished and no further sufferingarise. Is it brought about by previous effort, or to be strivenafter now, in the present?”

“Effort now is concerned with what remains to bedone, former effort has accomplished what it had to do.”

“Give me an illustration.”

“Is it when the enemy is arrayed against you that youset to work to have a moat dug, a rampart raised, a watchtowerbuilt, a stronghold constructed and stores collected?”“Certainly not your reverence.”

“Just so, effort now is concerned with what remains tobe done, former effort has accomplished what it had to do.”---------------

#4. “You say that the fire of purgatory would instantlydestroy a boulder the size of a house; but you also say thatwhatever beings are reborn in hell, though they burn forhundreds of thousands of years they are not destroyed.How can I believe this?”

“Although the food, bones and even stones eaten byvarious female beings are destroyed inside their abdomensyet their embryos are not destroyed. Just so those beings inhell avoid destruction by the influence of their kamma. “

Once upon a time, there was a young daughter of a rich family who lived in Rajagaha City. She admired Buddha's teachings and loved to listen to his dhamma talks. Her heart was committed to joining the Buddha's Sangha Order, but her parents wanted a different life for her. They chose to marry her to a rich young man. As an obedient daughter, she complied with the parents' wish.

After having entered the matrimony for a while, she begged her husband to let her join the Sangha Order. Her husband finally gave her his blessings to become member of Buddha's Order. Thus she was ordained as a bhikkhuni and resided with lady-monks under Bhikkhu Devadatta.

Months passed by, one day the lady-monks of the community noticed that the new bhikkhuni was pregnant. They furiously disapproved of her and wanted her to be forced out of the Order. So they brought the case to Bhikkhu Devadatta who agreed that she must quit the Order. The young lady, however, argued that the Buddha should be the one to judge her and decide if she whether or not should be banished from the Order. After an intensive investigation by Upali Thera, the Buddha was counseled that the conception of her baby occurred prior to her joining the Order. Thus they concluded that she must not to be blamed or had to disrobe. This pregnancy case was so famous that even King Pasenadi and Upasika Visakha got involved.

After the bhikkhuni had given birth to a baby boy at the monastery, King Pasenadi adopted the baby and raised him as his own child in the royal palace. The babyboy was given the name 'Kumara-Kassapa'. The boy grew up and played happily with other royal children. But one day the other children were no longer friendly; they ridiculed him, mocking him for being an orphan --not a royal blood sibling. And it made him very sad and desolated. He was only seven years old then, when he went to see the Buddha and asked to be ordained as a samanera and to reside at the Buddha's place.

At the age of twenty he became a bhikku and soon asked for the Buddha's permission to go to Andhavana(Dark) Forest to meditate alone. Bhikkhu Kumara Kassapa made great progress in his meditation, dwelling in solitude. One night, while being in an intense meditative state, a superdeva named Suddhávása appeared in front of him. [The Deva once was his friend during the time of the Kassapa Buddha, and they used to practice meditation together.] Suddhávása Deva explained the reason for his appearance; it was because he had 15 questions for the Bhikkhu to ask the Buddha. ( See Vammika Sutta for the 15 questions.)

Kumara Kassapa then travelled days and nights to see the Buddha and delivered the Deva's 15 questions. While Buddha was telling him the answers to all these questions one by one, Bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa listened intensely to each answer such that he attained arahantship with the Four Patisambhida -- right at the end of the question #15!

Once there was a very learned prince named 'Payasi of Setavya' whose stubbornness and arrogance was well known throughout the city. But after meeting with and debating about his belief with Kumara-Kassapa, Payasi admitted in public that he was wrong in every category. He was so impressed with Kumara-Kassapa's Dhamma that he proclaimed himself a royal supporter of the Buddha and his monks from then on. Because of Kumara-Kassapa's keen knowledge of the Dhamma and his great skills in delivering it, the Buddha praised him as an "etadagga" who was foremost among those with the special gift of delivering varied and versatile discourses (cittakathikanam).---------

NOTE**: The mother of Bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa was broken-hearted because King Pasenadi took her baby away to raise in his palace. She truly missed her kid through all those years and always wished that she could meet him again someday. Her wish came true one day, when she suddenly saw bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa walking by for alms food! She was immensely happy, running to him so fast that she stumbled and fell to the ground in front of him. Bhikkhu Kumara-Kassapa realized that his mother was capable of enlightenment, but her overwhelming love has prevented her from unworldly attainments, therefore he intended to help her overcoming the worthless worldly love. So, instead of showing love and gladness, he criticized his mother that despite of her having been a bhikkhuni for quite a long time, it was shameful that she still could not let go of the wordly attachment. The ruse succeeded; his words cut through her heart like a knife. She suffered so deeply that she walked away from him and went back to the monastery. She then meditated continuously, nonstop, and was able to attain arahantship that very night.

----------NOTE: In the time of Padumuttara Buddha Kassapa was a learned brahmin, and having heard a monk ranked foremost in eloquence, he wished for a similar distinction and did many good deeds and merits towards the end.

NOTE: The superdeva was a deity of the Suddhávása brahma world. He was one of five friends who, in the time of Kassapa Buddha, had entered the Order and who, in order to meditate uninterruptedly, had climbed a rock by means of a ladder which they had then removed, thus cutting off their return. The eldest became an arahant in three days, the second (anuthera) was this superdeva, who had become an anágámí. The third was Pukkusáti, the fourth Báhiya Dárucíriya and the last Kumára-Kassapa. This superdeva was responsible for the arahantship both of Báhiya and Kumara-Kassapa.